Who should set the speed limit—locals or the law? Frustrated residents swap signs to make their point
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A quiet road in the Adelaide Hills has become the centre of a strange battle over speed limits.
What began as community concern over safety took an unusual twist when someone decided to take matters into their own hands.
Now, a bizarre and illegal stunt has left both locals and authorities on edge.
A 60km/h speed sign on Ambleside Road in Hahndorf was altered to display 50km/h without approval from authorities.
Transport Minister Tom Koutsantonis described the act bluntly: ‘It's bizarre and it's illegal.’
He said while frustrations about speeding were understood, there was no excuse for tampering with official signs.
‘I know they're well intentioned but we can't have people doing that—it's dangerous and inappropriate,’ he said.
Some locals expressed sympathy for the concerns about traffic, but said any change must come through official processes.
‘I don't think we've really got the right to change signs on the road. It should be done through the right channels,’ one resident said.
A man believed to be responsible for the sign alteration was approached for comment but declined to speak on camera.
Mr Koutsantonis warned the risks went far beyond inconvenience.
‘My very strong advice is to stop,’ he said.
‘Yes, ingenuity yep, tick. Illegality? Unfortunately, yes, that is a tick as well, and you can't do that.
‘And if you get caught, you can go to jail.’
The fake speed sign has since been removed, though it is not the only incident to raise concern.
Authorities also discovered that a load limit sign on the same road had been tampered with.
It was supposed to display 15 tonnes, but the number ‘1’ had been removed, leaving an inaccurate reading.
Watch the full report below.
Source: Youtube/9 News Australia
Concerns about speed limits and road safety aren’t limited to one street or one community.
Experts have been warning for years that unsafe driving and poorly managed traffic are costing lives and money on a much larger scale.
One recent report highlighted just how serious the crisis has become.
Read more: Safety advocate shares massive road crisis costing billions every year
When community frustrations spill onto the road, how far is too far?
What began as community concern over safety took an unusual twist when someone decided to take matters into their own hands.
Now, a bizarre and illegal stunt has left both locals and authorities on edge.
A 60km/h speed sign on Ambleside Road in Hahndorf was altered to display 50km/h without approval from authorities.
Transport Minister Tom Koutsantonis described the act bluntly: ‘It's bizarre and it's illegal.’
He said while frustrations about speeding were understood, there was no excuse for tampering with official signs.
Resident alters Adelaide Hills speed sign illegally. Image source: Youtube/9News
‘I know they're well intentioned but we can't have people doing that—it's dangerous and inappropriate,’ he said.
Some locals expressed sympathy for the concerns about traffic, but said any change must come through official processes.
‘I don't think we've really got the right to change signs on the road. It should be done through the right channels,’ one resident said.
A man believed to be responsible for the sign alteration was approached for comment but declined to speak on camera.
Mr Koutsantonis warned the risks went far beyond inconvenience.
‘My very strong advice is to stop,’ he said.
‘Yes, ingenuity yep, tick. Illegality? Unfortunately, yes, that is a tick as well, and you can't do that.
‘And if you get caught, you can go to jail.’
The fake speed sign has since been removed, though it is not the only incident to raise concern.
Authorities also discovered that a load limit sign on the same road had been tampered with.
It was supposed to display 15 tonnes, but the number ‘1’ had been removed, leaving an inaccurate reading.
Watch the full report below.
Source: Youtube/9 News Australia
Concerns about speed limits and road safety aren’t limited to one street or one community.
Experts have been warning for years that unsafe driving and poorly managed traffic are costing lives and money on a much larger scale.
One recent report highlighted just how serious the crisis has become.
Read more: Safety advocate shares massive road crisis costing billions every year
When community frustrations spill onto the road, how far is too far?
